J. De Forest Richards
Encyclopedia
J. De Forest Richards was an American football
player and banker. He was the son of the fifth Governor of Wyoming and played college football
at the University of Michigan
from 1894 to 1897. He later had a career as a banker in Douglas, Wyoming
, Omaha, Nebraska
, and Chicago, Illinois.
. He was the only son of De Forest Richards
. His father was a New Hampshire
native who moved to Alabama
in the Reconstruction era, serving as the sheriff of Wilcox County, Alabama
, and operating a tannery. Branded as a "carpetbagger", his father moved to Nebraska when Richards was 12 years old. Richards attended public school in Nebraska for two years before being sent to the St. Paul's School
in Concord, New Hampshire
. After graduating from the St. Paul's School in 1892, Richards moved to Casper, Wyoming
, where his father had established a store under the name Richards, Cunningham & Co.
. While at Michigan, he played college football
. He was a halfback
for the 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team
and a quarterback for the 1895
, 1896
and 1897 team
s.
. In 1898, his father was elected Governor of Wyoming and served in that office until his death in April 1903. Richards was elected vice president of the First National Bank of Douglas in January 1901. He also served as the treasurer of the Richards-Coombs Co., which operated a sheep ranch south of Douglas, and treasurer of the Chambers Live Stock Co., which operated a ranch on the Cheyenne River
in Weston County, Wyoming.
In 1909, Richards moved from Douglas, Wyoming, to Omaha, Nebraska
, where he continued to work in the banking business. In 1918, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he became involved in the manufacture of gas engines.
In 1925, Richards joined the National Boulevard Bank in Chicago. He became president of the bank in 1931 and was "credited with increasing its resources and services."
In September 1949, Richards died after a short illness in Chicago. He was survived by his wife, Gertrude Richards, and was buried at the Rosehill Cemetery.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and banker. He was the son of the fifth Governor of Wyoming and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1894 to 1897. He later had a career as a banker in Douglas, Wyoming
Douglas, Wyoming
Douglas is a city in Converse County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,288 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Converse County...
, Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and Chicago, Illinois.
Early years
Richards was born in 1874 in Camden, AlabamaCamden, Alabama
Camden is a city in Wilcox County, Alabama, United States. The population was 2,257 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Camden is located at ....
. He was the only son of De Forest Richards
DeForest Richards
DeForest Richards was an American banker, farmer, and politician. He was the fifth Governor of the state of Wyoming, and the first to die while still in office....
. His father was a New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
native who moved to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in the Reconstruction era, serving as the sheriff of Wilcox County, Alabama
Wilcox County, Alabama
Wilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lieutenant J. M. Wilcox, who fought in the wars against the Creek tribe. As of 2010, the population was 11,670...
, and operating a tannery. Branded as a "carpetbagger", his father moved to Nebraska when Richards was 12 years old. Richards attended public school in Nebraska for two years before being sent to the St. Paul's School
St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire)
St. Paul's School is a highly selective college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The school is one of only six remaining 100% residential boarding schools in the U.S. The New Hampshire campus currently serves 533 students,...
in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
. After graduating from the St. Paul's School in 1892, Richards moved to Casper, Wyoming
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
, where his father had established a store under the name Richards, Cunningham & Co.
University of Michigan
In 1894, Richards enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. While at Michigan, he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. He was a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team
1894 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1894 college football season. The team, with William McCauley as head coach, compiled an 9–1–1 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 244 to 84. The Wolverines played a home-and-away series...
and a quarterback for the 1895
1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1895 college football season. The team, coached by medical student William McCauley, compiled an 8–1 record, won seven of their games by shutouts, and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 266 to...
, 1896
1896 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1896 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1896 college football season. They played their home games at Regents Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the newly-established Western Conference, later to be known as the Big Ten Conference...
and 1897 team
1897 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1897 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1897 college football season. The team, with former Michigan halfback, Gustave Ferbert, as head coach, compiled a record of 6–1–1 and outscored opponents by a combined score of 168 to 31. The team suffered its...
s.
Business career
He finished his education at Michigan in 1898 and returned to Wyoming where he became an assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Douglas in Douglas, WyomingDouglas, Wyoming
Douglas is a city in Converse County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,288 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Converse County...
. In 1898, his father was elected Governor of Wyoming and served in that office until his death in April 1903. Richards was elected vice president of the First National Bank of Douglas in January 1901. He also served as the treasurer of the Richards-Coombs Co., which operated a sheep ranch south of Douglas, and treasurer of the Chambers Live Stock Co., which operated a ranch on the Cheyenne River
Cheyenne River
The Cheyenne River is a tributary of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is approximately 295 mi long and drains an area of...
in Weston County, Wyoming.
In 1909, Richards moved from Douglas, Wyoming, to Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, where he continued to work in the banking business. In 1918, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he became involved in the manufacture of gas engines.
In 1925, Richards joined the National Boulevard Bank in Chicago. He became president of the bank in 1931 and was "credited with increasing its resources and services."
In September 1949, Richards died after a short illness in Chicago. He was survived by his wife, Gertrude Richards, and was buried at the Rosehill Cemetery.